Finally...some work to do at work!

Mike is back from his week long va-kay. This means I'll finally have something to do other than sitting looking at a computer or doing literature searches.

So Where Do I Go From Here?

I'm at the point in my life and career path where I'm starting to ask questions that could possibly open too many door and not have the inkling of where I should go. Do they make GPSs for this sort of dilemma because I need some direction?

I've started looking into graduate schools, now that my internship is underway, and their forensic psychology programs. I've been doing a little more research about the itself as well. This is where my problems start to arise. Some schools offer MA/MS in Forensic Psychology, while other campuses off it at the Doctorate level (PhD or PsyD). There aren't too many schools to begin with that offer the program but I have found quite a few. Thus, begging the question: Should I pursue the Masters program or shoot straight for the Doctorate?

From what I can gather so far, it would better me to have the PhD/PsyD than the MA. However, the MA is only 2 years of school and more than likely less costly than the doctorate, depending on the school of course. I’ve also looked into the possibility of pursuing the Criminal Justice track as well. Some of the schools I’ve found that offer the Masters program in either Forensic Psychology or Criminal Justice:
1. American International College – MS Forensic Psy
2. Argosy Univ.-College of Psychology & Behavioral Sciences – MA Forensic Psy
3. California Baptist Univ.-School of Behavioral Sciences – MA Forensic Psy
4. The Chicago School of Prof. Psych. – MA Forensic Psy
5. Fairleigh Dickinson Univ.-Univ. College School of Psych. – MA Forensic Psy
6. John Jay College of Crim. Jus.-City Univ of New York – MA Forensic Psy
7. Marymount Univ.-School of Education & Human Services – MA Forensic Psy
8. Mass. School of Prof. Psych. – MA Forensic Psy
9. Seattle Univ.-College of Arts & Sciences – MA Criminal Justice
10. Univ. of Denver-Grad. School of Prof. Psych. – MA Forensic Psy
11. Univ. of N. Dakota – MS Forensic Psy
12. Univ. of S. Carolina – MA Criminal Justice

With these schools and others that I’m going to look for I think I’ll just end up sending them a letter with my inquiry either by “snail”-mail or e-mail. It is the best route I think I can take as of right now. Include in the letters will be questions about tuition and costs, admission requirements (GRE scores if required, letters of recommendation, application essays), etc. It couldn't hurt and it could show them that I’m taking an active step in furthering my career (how bs does that sound huh?). Whether or not I want to go to these schools I think I might as well apply to most if not all of them.

That’s all I can think of for right now. I’ll think of something to get me out of this career slump!...

Mood: always hungry (I have a Cinnamon Raisin bagel here somewhere) and confuddled
Thoughts: Where is D. Feaster? He said he’d been in around 11AM….Maybe that’s him now…
Reading: Graduate school programs on Forensic Psych.
Drinking: Water
Wish I Was: Outside where it is sunny...well probably not today since it is stormy

Forensic Psychology...I think its what I want to do

Found this site while I'm supposed to be doing some editorial work while at my internship. I'm editing a chapter for a book publication on Functional-Family Therapy. It is interesting considering I have never edited anything to this level importance (the most I've done was in a short-story writing class in college). I can't really write too much about it now. I might have to be leaving early unexpectedly, but I'll report more on it later when I get back home.

Mood: Busy bee in slacks and heels, and slightly hungry
Reading: FFT article
Drinking: Water
Wish I Was: Napping or swimming in the pool =[

Internship Update!!

I've been busy since the last post including the start of my packing. But I come bearing good news!! I recieved an email on Saturday the 18th from Mike asking for my resume -- which I still haven't sent him yet but I'm working on it. He sent me a description of exactly what I'll be doing.

Person's name: Marie E. G.
Name of department sponsor: D. Feaster, V. Horigian
U.S. citizen or permanent resident (if not, specify status): Yes
Educational Status: Bachelors Degree
MARIE: What is this person's current position and institution:
MARIE How many months and hours per week will the person be here
MARIE Why does the person want to volunteer

What will the person be doing as a volunteer: She will be working under the direction of Drs. Feaster and Horigian. She will also work with Dr. M. Robbins, who will be coordinating ongoing research studies with the team at the Center for Family Studies. Her primary responsibilities will include assisting with the development, write-up, and submission of research manuscripts and scientific presentations. She will conduct literature searches, assist with assembling documents, run basic statistical analyses, and attend regular research team meetings. She will also attend weekly clinical supervision meetings to gain exposure to the core components of an empirically-based intervention. This later experience will faciltate her understanding of the challenges inherenet in implementing an intervention and monitoring fidelity in a clinical trial.

Will this person have patient contact: No

Where is this person going to be located on campus (research lab, clinic, etc.): Sieron Building, Research Lab

So I'll be a researcher's grunt. No biggie...but I'm hoping if it is an unpaid volunteer position, it won't stay that way for long. I'm looking to hopefully put in my time there for 4 months working up to 4 days a week, with 6-8 hour days.
The email has been sent with my resume and got a call from Mike yesterday as a confirmation!!

Internship News

Ended up emailing Robbins the other night confirming that I was thoroughly interested in taking the internship offer.

I can create the position for you. Again, it will be a very informal internship opportunity. In essence, you will be a non-paid volunteer functioning as a research assistant (Robbins, January 2009).

That was the basic information that I had to go a few months ago. After emailing him a few more times he gave me a better picture as what I could be expecting.

At any point, I can bring you on as an unpaid volunteer to "intern" on our large, multi-site clinical trial study. It will be a very rich experience, including exposure to research methods, clinical practice (family therapy), data analysis, and preparation of articles for publication (Robbins, April 2009).

I'm a little bummed that its going to be an unpaid position for the time being but there is some hope!

I will contact our administration staff ... to get any paperwork, forms, etc. that we may need to complete for you. Also, although I do not have a paid position at present, there is a reasonable chance that we are going to get a lot of research dollars in the next couple of months. If that occurs, we can try to figure out if any of these positions could get you some funding (Robbins, June 2009).

Only thing now is that I have to let him know how many hours I would like to work and for how long. I'm really starting to get excited about this offer. I still don't want to leave St. Augustine but I do realize that this will be a great opportunity for me and to put on my resume. I'm hoping that I'll be able to meet the expectations of this position especially since it was offered to me.

*Please forgive my APA citation there. I'm in the middle of writing a paper for my Deviant Behavior class.

Happy Belated New Year

Happy New Year everyone, that was long over due. I am hoping that everyone's has gone well.
I may have brought this up in my last post but I have finished my requirements for my Psychology Major degree and I will be tacking on a Sociology Minor with a focus in Criminology.
I seriously wish I had more to write but I'm lacking. I'm supposed to writing a short story and so far its not going so well. I promise I won't abandon this blog for too long.
Also on a side note, Nicholas is going to serve as a my Masters Thesis.

All is complete but nothing is finished

It has been awhile and I apologize. School has finally commenced for another semester, but only a few more weeks until it picks back up. I did fairly well, much better than I expected myself to do.

Depression & Related Disorders = A; that was a given. This professor's classes are the easiest. It is sad that I won't be able to take anymore of his classes.
Psychology of Gender = C; My own fault for this grade in that I didn't do a majority of the out of class assignments however the course load for this 300 level was beyond what is required for most 400 level courses. But I did well on the tests, group projects and the paper that I was able to pull through with a passing and that's all I really want.
Psychology of Aging = C; The first of my final grades to be released. I've had this professor just about every semester I've attended Flagler and while I know the layout of her classes, they are still difficult. But I did make a perfect 100 on the term paper I submitted which shocked me to pieces and you won't find me complaining. I'll be sad I won't be taking anymore of her courses as well but I'll still see her around as she is my academic advisor.
Substance Abuse = B; This grade perhaps surprised me the most. I was almost confident to come out with either a C or a D. In fact I had prepared for the worst, as with for another class, in that I didn't do very well on the tests. Granted there were chances for extra credit and take home quizzes but I wouldn't think that would be enough to bring my grade to a B.
Experimental Psychology = C; Perhaps my greatest accomplishment. I was prepared for failure and still am. I check my grades online constantly, convinced they'll go and change it on me. I feel like I learned nothing in this course with the exception of the reinforcement that I'm horrible in this professor's courses. Ugh. Nevertheless it is finally over and I couldn't be happier.

And I'm finished with my Psychology Major! For my final semester in the upcoming Spring I'll be adding on a Sociology Minor which is only 18 credits. I'm currently debating on whether to take all 6 courses or take 5 Soc, 1 Eng, walk in the Spring and finish the one leftover class for the summer. I really would like to take the English course, and I might because I need a 120 credits to graduate. Currently I have 100, 6 courses will leave me with 3 more credit hours to go, so I may need to take the summer course anyway.

Christmas Eve is my final day of work before I travel home for the short holiday break. I've temporarily moved up in the retail pottery world from 2-day part-timer to 5-day 40 hr/wk full-time position. The recent full-time hiree was fired over the Thanksgiving holiday bringing our employee count from five to four; two FT and two PT. I started working more hours during the last two weeks of school to not only pick up hours but to help out where I could. I enjoy it especially for the paycheck at the end of every 2-weeks. And I really enjoy the people I work with, especially Nicholas. I told my mom that I need to work with gay men more often, they're really enjoyable people, well all the ones I've met with only exception. Josh is a rather unpleasant gay. I'm not sure he even enjoys his orientation.

P.s. I make amends to continue writing here more often.

Listening: Tokyo Drift (Fast & Furious) by Teriyaki Boyz from the Fast & the Furious:Tokyo Drift soundtrack
Expressing: Physically spent, I need time to recuperate